Method and Apparatus for Phrase Replacement

1. A method comprising: storing a plurality of string replacement pairs in a database, the string replacement pairs each comprising a key string and replacement string; receiving a touch input comprising at least a first and second touch point identifying a user-provided original string displayed between the first and second touch points, wherein the touch input and the user-provided original string are provided via a text editor application; receiving an indication of a request to replace the user-provided original string in response to receiving an input gesture via the text editor application, the input gesture comprising changing a distance between the first and second touch points; in response to the input gesture, searching said database for a matching string replacement pair, wherein said matching compares said user-provided original string the key string of a particular string replacement pair of the plurality of string replacement pairs; identifying an intended replacement string for the user-provided original string based on the corresponding replacement string of the matched particular string replacement pair; and replacing the user-provided original string in the text editor application with the intended replacement string.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said user-provided original string comprises at least two partial strings which are separated by a space character and wherein said method further comprises: parsing said user-provided original string for initial letters of said partial strings; generating a new string comprising the initial letters; and identifying said intended replacement string based on the new string.

3. A method according to claim 2 further comprising storing said new string and said user-provided original string as a string replacement pair.

4. A method according to claim 1 further comprising: storing said user-provided original string and said intended replacement string as a string replacement pair in said database; and searching said database for a matching string replacement pair using said user-provided original string as a search key.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein identifying the intended replacement string for the user-provided original string comprises: identifying a plurality of potential replacement strings; causing display of the plurality of potential replacement strings; and receiving indication of a selection of one of the plurality of potential replacement strings.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising: after replacing the user-provided original string in the text editor application with the intended replacement string, receiving an indication to edit the intended replacement string in the text editor application; and storing a newly created replacement string for subsequent retrieval and in association with the user-provided original string based on the indication to edit the intended replacement string in the text editor.

7. An apparatus comprising at least one processor, and at least one memory including a computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to, store a plurality of string replacement pairs in a database, the string replacement pairs each comprising a key string and replacement string; receive a touch input comprising at least a first and second touch point identifying a user-provided original string displayed between the first and second touch points, wherein the touch input and the user-provided original string are provided via a text editor application; receive an indication of a request to replace the user-provided original string in response to receiving an input gesture via the text editor application, the input gesture comprising changing a distance between the first and second touch points; in response to the input gesture, search said database for a matching string replacement pair, wherein said matching compares said user-provided original string the key string of a particular string replacement pair of the plurality of string replacement pairs; identify an intended replacement string for the user-provided original string based on the corresponding replacement string of the matched particular string replacement pair; and replace the user-provided original string in the text editor application with the intended replacement string.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said user-provided original string comprises at least two partial strings which are separated by at least a space character and wherein the computer program code is further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to: parse said user-provided original string for initial letters of said partial strings; generate a new string comprising the initial letters; and identify said intended replacement string based on the new string.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the computer program code is further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to: store said new string and said user-provided original string as a string replacement pair.

10. An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the computer program code is further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to: store the user-provided original string and said intended replacement string as a string replacement pair in said database; and search said database for a matching string replacement pair using said user-provided original string as a search key.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the user-provided original word is an abbreviation of the intended replacement string.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the intended replacement string for the user-provided original string is identified based on an association of the user-provided original string and the intended replacement string.

13. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer readable medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-executable program code instructions comprising program code instructions to: store a plurality of string replacement pairs in a database, the string replacement pairs each comprising a key string and replacement string; receive a touch input comprising at least a first and second touch point identifying a user-provided original string displayed between the first and second touch points, wherein the touch input and the user-provided original string are provided via a text editor application; receive an indication of a request to replace the user-provided original string in response to receiving an input gesture via the text editor application, the input gesture comprising changing a distance between the first and second touch points; in response to the input gesture, search said database for a matching string replacement pair, wherein said matching compares said user-provided original string the key string of a particular string replacement pair of the plurality of string replacement pairs; identify an intended replacement string for the user-provided original string based on the corresponding replacement string of the matched particular string replacement pair; and replace the user-provided original string in the text editor application with the intended replacement string.